Improvement in biluard chalk-cups



H. W. COLLENDER: BILLIAM CHALK curs.

No. 190,285. Q I Patente d Mayl, 1877.

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v fixture to constantly get out of order in con- .and the pivotal point,and thus relieve the will be hereinafter more fully explained.

I scribe more fully the construction and opera- HUGH w. OOLLEN-DEB,

IMPROVEMENT IN BIL on NEW YORK, N. Y.

LlARD CHALK-CUPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190.285, dated May 1,187 7.; application filed April 11, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH W. COLLENDER, of New York city, in the countyof New York and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImproved Chalk-Cup; and I do hereby declare that the following is a fulland exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification.

Previous to my invention one of the most serious objections to theordinary chalk-cup for billiard-tables has been the liability of thesequence of the strain to which the pivot on which the box swings issubjected, and the effect of such strain to loosen or break down thispivotal connection of the chalk-box with the table.

Another serious objection experienced in the use of chalk-boxes, as mostusually made and applied to billiard-tables, has been theconstantliability of the box to swing out from under the cushion-rail in the wayof the player, and,by its protrusion when not needed, lead to thechalking or soiling of the players clothes while'playin g round thetable.

To overcome these difficulties, and provide the billiard-table'with amuch more desirable chalk box or holder in other respects than anyheretofore known and used,-are the main objects of my invention; which,to these ends, consists, first, in the combination, with a chalk-cuparranged to swing horizontally, of means adapted to afford supportvertically to the box at a point between its outer portion pivot of allside strain, as will be hereinafter more fully explained; and, second,in the use, in connection with the swinging chalk-receptacle, of meansfor insuring its movement entirely out of the way of the player whenswung toward a position of disuse, and its retention in suchout-of-the-way position, all as To enable those skilled in the art tomake and use my invention, I will proceed to detion of my improvedbilliard-table chalk-box, or chalk-cup, referring by letters to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view, and. Fig. 2 avertical as far as possible under thetable,"and

section, of one of myimproved chalk-boxes as applied to abilliard-table. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the fixture detached; andFig. 4, another side view of the fixture, showing a modificationthereof, and a different mode of attachment to the table.

In the several figures the same part will be found designated by thesame letter-of reference.

A is the cup, formed with a shank, B, adapted to be and pivoted at c ina metallic frame or stand, (1, which is securely fastened by screws 1 23, or otherwise, to the lower surface of the cushion-rail R, or, as willbe presently explained, to the broad-rail T of the table.

The stand d, to which the shank or arm B of the chalk-box is pivoted atc, is provided .with a spring, e, against which the rear end of shank Bworks, in a manner to be presently explained, and is formed with acurved ledge or flange, a, on the upper surface of which rides and bearsa projection, f, of theshank B, in such a manner that in every positionin which the chalk-box can be placed this projection f of its shank Bwill operate as a support vertically on the horizontal flange a, tosustain the box against any forcing downward, (by being crowded underthe cushionrail when too full of chalk, or by other causes,) and thusprevent any undue strain on, or derangement of, the pivotal attachmentof the chalk-box at the point 0'.

By reference to Fig. 3, the peculiar shape of the pivotal end of shankB, and its arrangement with the spring 0, will be clearly seen to besuch that when the chalk-box shall be swung out into the position shownat Fig. 1- that is, at right angles tothe line of the cushion-rail-theflat rear end of shank B will come to a bearing against the middle ofspring-plate e, and that the shank B (and cup A) will be held by saidspring 6 in the position shown in Fig. 1. It will also be seen that whenthe chalk-box shall be pushed or swung horizontally to one side, ineither direction, so that the spring e will bear on either of thecorners of the back end of shank B, as shown, for instance, at Fig. 3,the action of the spring 0 will have the effect of forcing the shank Bto swing ltohold or retain it in such position.

'r QEFICE.

The extent to which it is possible for the spring 0 to force the shank B(and cup A) to swing backward or under is determined by contact of thearm B with the stop-shoulders hold it; that when not needed for furtheruse the player has simply to move the box slightly toward the table,when the spring a will operate to effect the complete movement of thebox under the table, and its retention. in such out-of-the-way position;and that if the chalkbox be left sticking out, in the position seen atFig. 1, any slight 'contact of the body of the player, as he walks roundthe table, (in either direction,) will so move the box to one side thatit will then be automatically thrown and held under the cushion-rail outof the way; and it will be understood that in any position in which thechalk-box may be placed it will be so sustained vertically at a pointbetween the cup A and pivot a, by means of the supporting-flange n andbearing f, that no downward pressure exerted on the cup can break orstrain out of adjustment the pivotal connection at c, and that,therefore, the annoyance in common chalk-boxes, occasioned by theconstant derangement of the fixture at the pivotal point, will be whollyovercome.

At Fig. 4 the contrivance is so modified in the form of the metallicstand 01, by the addition of a bracket-like portion, m, that the fixturemay be, as shown in that figure, screwed or otherwise fastened to thebody or broad rail T of the table, in lieu of the cushion-rail. Thismodification in form and mode of attachment may be desirable sometimes,as by it the temporary removal and handling of the cushion-rail may beefl'ected without the removal of the chalk-box fixture.

In carrying out my invention, modifications in the details ofconstruction of the fixture may, of course, be made withoutsubstantially changing its principle of construction and operation, ordeparting from the spirit of my invention.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to support the vibrating arm ata point in front of the pivotal point; but,

Having so fully explained the construction and operation of my improvedchalk-box fixture that those skilled in the 'art can make and use it,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the vibrating or swinging chalk-cup, provided witha bearing-lug,f, with the plate d, to which the arm is pivoted, formedwith a depressed flange or lip, n, at its outer circumference,substantially as described.

2. In combination with the swinging chalkholder device, and the stand orfixture to which it is pivoted, means, substantially as described, forefl'ecting the movements of the vibratory arm toward and its retentionin the several positions in which the chalk-cup will be exposed for use,or held in an out-of-the-way position, as hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 10th dayof April, 1877.

H. W. OOLLENDER. [L. s.]

In presence of J. N. MOINTIRE, MULFOBD W. HAYWARD.

